Controversy surrounds Karla Sofía Gascón, the first trans woman nominated for Best Actress at the 2025 Oscars for her role in *Emilia Pérez*, amid backlash over her past social media posts. Netflix has sidelined her from promotional events due to inflammatory remarks uncovered by journalist Sarah Hagi. Gascón has since apologized, deleted her social media, and suggested a conspiracy against her. Despite the turmoil, the Academy has yet to revoke her nomination as attention turns to her potential participation in upcoming ceremonies.
Storm Brews in the 2025 Oscars Race
The race for the 2025 Oscars is heating up with controversy surrounding Karla Sofía Gascón, the first trans woman nominated for Best Actress for her role in Jacques Audiard’s *Emilia Pérez*. The American distributor Netflix has requested her to remain in Spain while promotional events are held in Los Angeles this week, resulting in her absence from the film’s promotional campaign, despite its impressive 13 nominations. The uproar stems from a series of ‘problematic’ messages that Gascón posted on social media between 2017 and 2023, which were recently uncovered by a Canadian journalist known for her work in online influence.
Unpacking Karla Sofía Gascón’s Journey
Karla Sofía Gascón emerged on the film scene at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024. This 53-year-old Spanish actress, previously unknown to many, captivated audiences in *Emilia Pérez*, where she portrays Juan ‘Manitas’ del Monte, a Mexican drug trafficker navigating a gender transition with the help of a lawyer. Her performance was lauded, resonating deeply with her personal experiences, which she openly discussed during a press conference. Shortly after, she shared the acting award with her co-stars, including Zoe Saldaña and Selena Gomez. Gascón has consistently advocated for the trans community, with her director often amplifying her voice during award ceremonies.
However, her past social media activity has now come back to haunt her. In late January, journalist Sarah Hagi exposed a series of inflammatory posts from Gascón, including derogatory comments about Islam and controversial remarks about George Floyd. She also made disparaging comparisons involving the Oscars and expressed disdain for her future co-star, Selena Gomez.
In response to the backlash, Gascón quickly deleted her social media account and issued an apology, emphasizing her understanding of suffering as someone from a marginalized community. She expressed her lifelong commitment to fighting for a better world and claimed that her recent conversion to Buddhism has changed her perspective on harming others.
The controversy escalated as Gascón hinted at a possible conspiracy behind the revelation of her messages, asserting that some were taken out of context while others were fabricated to create discord within the film’s team. Journalist Sarah Hagi defended her findings, labeling Gascón’s past comments as racist and calling for the Academy Awards to reconsider her nomination.
Amid the unfolding drama, the film’s team, including director Jacques Audiard and co-star Zoe Saldaña, addressed the situation. Saldaña expressed her sadness over the events and reiterated her commitment to inclusivity during the filming process. Despite the growing concern, the Academy has not indicated plans to rescind Gascón’s nomination, though the repercussions of this controversy are likely to be felt during the ceremony.
The fallout has led to Netflix distancing itself from Gascón, with reports stating that she has been instructed to remain in Spain and has had her likeness removed from promotional materials for *Emilia Pérez*. As the Oscars ceremony approaches, the industry is closely watching how this situation will unfold, particularly regarding Gascón’s potential appearance at the Goya ceremony in Madrid and her participation in the Oscars.